Coastal News

UK Climate Projections 2018 study

In its first major update on climate change in almost 10 years, the Met Office has warned of significant temperature rises in the decades ahead. The UK Climate Projections 2018 study is the most up to date assessment of how the UK will change over this century.

The most alarming figure in the report is the projection of summer temperatures up to 5.4C warmer than the baseline period which is the average temperatures between 1981-2000.

These warmer summers of the future are likely to be much drier too, with average summer rainfall dropping by 47% by 2070. Winters could be warmer by up to 4.2C but they will also see more rainfall, increasing by up to 35% by 2070, under the worst emissions scenario.

Raised sea levels are also one of the consequences of a warmer world and according to the report, they could increase by 1.15 metres in London by 2100.

The report says the UK is set to see an increase in both the frequency and magnitude of extreme water levels.